Going gluten-free has become a health fad in recent years and is a must for anyone who has celiac disease, a serious autoimmune disorder of the intestinal tract. If you think you have celiac disease or gluten sensitivity--a less severe condition--your first step should be to see a doctor to get tested. It’s important to be tested before you start a gluten-free diet to rule out any other potential cause for your symptoms.
If you don't have celiac disease, you may be losing out on essential nutrients by following a gluten-free diet. Here’s what you need to know.
Gluten and Celiac Disease
Gluten is a protein in grains such as wheat, rye, and barley that helps dough keep its shape. If you have celiac disease, you can’t tolerate gluten, and you must avoid it or risk major gastrointestinal upset and other symptoms.
- Celiac disease is not an allergy; it is an autoimmune disease in which the intestinal wall is inflamed and damaged as a result of eating gluten. This interferes with your ability to absorb nutrients.
- Symptoms of the condition include diarrhea, stomach upset, bloating, abdominal pain, and weight loss. Celiac disease can also cause constipation and anemia.
- Celiac disease affects about 1 percent of the population. More than 2 million people in the United States have celiac disease.
A Gluten-free Diet is for Life
Removing gluten from your diet is the only treatment for celiac disease. It alleviates the unpleasant symptoms, and allows your intestine to repair itself. Avoiding gluten also helps you ward off a rare type of cancer of the intestine.
A gluten-free diet requires your commitment. Not only must you stay away from bread and pasta, you must carefully read food labels when you’re shopping. It can also take a toll on your budget. Gluten shows up in foods such as salad dressings and even beer, and it’s also used as a thickener. Always ask about the ingredients of a dish before ordering when eating at a restaurant. Because eating any gluten at all can damage your intestine, you'll have to remain on this diet for the rest of your life.
Gluten-free Isn’t Healthy for Everyone
While a gluten-free diet is essential if you have celiac disease, experts say you shouldn’t follow it unless it’s medically necessary.
Helped by high-profile celebrities who say they’ve lost weight on the diets, the regimen became popular among people who want to lose weight, boost their energy, and get rid of bloating. But there’s no evidence that eating gluten-free is healthy for everyone, and unless properly supplemented, can cause deficiencies in nutrients, like iron, vitamin B12, and magnesium. If you have celiac disease, you need to work with your health-care provider to identify and treat nutritional deficiencies.
Cooking Gluten-Free
If you or a loved one has celiac disease or a sensitivity to gluten, our Health Hub blog has dozens of recipes to try, along with simple ingredient swaps to make recipes gluten-free.